"Dear Carol, I never want to visit my dad. What do I do?"

Dear Carol,My parents are divorced. I live with my mom, and my dad lives three hours away. I see him once a month during the school year, more in the summer. I love my dad, but I never look forward to seeing him. He’s not mean, so I don’t know why I feel that way. My mom knows my feelings, but is this the way things will be for the rest of my life?
—I Love My Dad

Dear I Love My Dad,
I’m glad you can be frank with your mom, and I’m sorry visits with your dad aren’t everything you’d wish for. Next time you pack up to visit him, take some DVDs you both might like to watch together. What else my you both enjoy doing? Hiking in a nature preserve, walking around a state fair, going to a zoo, hitting the water park? Going out for Chinese food? Playing cards or Boggle or tennis? Pack books or sketch pads, too, so you can enjoy your alone time. And, no, it won’t be this way for the rest of your life. When you’re an adult, you can choose to visit him less or more, based on your own terms.